Over nine million Twitter users illegally watched The Super Mario Bros. Movie this weekend. The unauthorized posting of the film was uploaded on Friday and stayed up until Sunday.
Posting a film in this fashion is a major copyright infringement. In most cases, social media companies are quick to take down illicit movie posts before they amass a substantial number of views.
In the case of Twitter, however, there has been concern surrounding incidents like this in the wake of Elon Musk’s purchase of the platform. Under Musk’s new direction, Twitter Blue users can now post videos of up to 60 minutes in length. On top of this, Musk has significantly scaled back the company’s trust and safety and compliance teams in a bid to increase revenue.
It’s possible that these decisions have collectively enabled bad actors to take advantage of the current status quo. Whether Twitter will respond with any additional policy changes remains to be seen.
One of the most recognizable faces at Nintendo, Shigeru Miyamoto, says he’s interested in keeping the company in the movie-making business.
The news follows Nintendo’s massive success with The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which raked in a staggering $377 million ($510 million CAD) globally during its opening weekend.
According to Japanese outlet Nikkei, Miyamoto referred to Nintendo as a talent agency with plenty of different entertainers. Without getting into specifics, he stated, “There are many possible ways we could go, such as using characters that would be fit for movies or very well-known characters.”
When one of your films becomes a contender for the highest-grossing film of 2023, why wouldn’t you want to pursue more movies in the future?
The question then becomes, what Nintendo franchise would best suit a role on the big screen? The possibilities are endless, with the company behind many of the most beloved video game sagas ever.
Naturally, Nintendo may look to follow up with a sequel to The Super Mario Bros. Movie, as it knows they have the audience and demand for it.
Miyamoto’s enthusiasm is shared by Illumination’s Chris Meladandri, who showed support for continuing their relationship down the line, with the former Nintendo GM stating that he’s “sure we will continue working on this partnership.”
For more news about Miyamoto, check out when he recently showed his distrust for Dr. Mario’s medical practices here.
Chris Pratt has revealed that his first attempt at voicing Mario for The Super Mario Bros. Movie was rejected by the film’s directors, and for a pretty comical reason.
Directors Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic both believed that Pratt’s first rendition of the iconic Nintendo character sounded too close to that of Tony Soprano, the mob boss played by the late great James Gandolfini in HBO’s The Sopranos.
“For a minute, I walked in and they were like, ‘That’s a little New Jersey. You’re doing a Tony Soprano thing,’” Pratt said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. The actor went on to say that he was so eager to star in the film that he didn’t even have a chance to work out what the character should sound like.
“I think both [Charlie Day and I] said yes. Didn’t even ask, ‘What’s the deal? What’s the story?’ ‘Yes, I’m in.’ And then we had to really dig in and figure out…are they Italian? Are they American?”
According to the two leads, both Pratt and Day worked with a variety of different voice iterations for the film, including taking inspiration from the original Mario voice actor, Charles Martinet.
“I tried out a few things and landed on something that I’m really proud of and can’t wait for people to see and hear,” Pratt added.
Thankfully, despite the change, directors Jelenic and Horvath have gone on record defending Pratt, saying that he is perfect for the role.
It appears the decision to cast Pratt paid off, with The Super Mario Bros. Movie scoring the top opening of all time for an animated film earning $375.6 million in worldwide ticket sales during the long Easter weekend, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Many people will celebrate Easter or Passover this long weekend, but some folks might also be celebrating the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie in theatres.
The film features the voices of Chris Pratt as Mario, Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach, Charlie Day as Luigi, Seth Rogen as Donkey Kong, Keegan-Michael Key as Toad and many more. The Illumination film has a pretty low 53 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but the ‘Audience Score’ is 96 percent, indicating that critics and fans are split on the new movie.
I haven’t seen The Super Mario Bros. Movie yet, but MobileSyrup‘s Brad Shankar watched the film, and you can read his thoughts on it here.
So, our question this week: did you watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and if you did, how was it? Let us know in the comments below.
In related news, MobileSyrup just kicked off a contest with Nintendo of Canada to send you and a friend to New York City for the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. More information can be found here.
After 1993’s abysmal live-action Super Mario Bros., it almost seemed as though Nintendo would never again allow its mascot to hit the big screen. It wasn’t until January 2018 that Nintendo confirmed it would indeed try again with a Mario movie, but this time, it’d be through an animated movie produced by Despicable Me studio Illumination.
Fast forward over five years and The Super Mario Bros. Movie is finally here. While critical reception has been pretty mixed, fan response has been overwhelmingly positive. Regardless of how you feel about the movie’s quality, though, it’s certainly noteworthy that gaming’s biggest icon finally has his own authentic movie, especially since video game adaptations have historically not been stellar.
With that in mind, we wanted to celebrate some of the other decent movie and TV adaptations of games that have come out. So, here’s where you can stream a bunch of them in Canada.
Arcane
French animation studio Fortiche (Rabbids Invasion) delivered one of the most acclaimed gaming adaptations of all time in this steampunk action-adventure series based on Riot’s massively popular League of Legends.
The series, which follows two sisters on rival sides of a magic-fuelled war, won immense praise for being a high-quality production that appeals to both LoL fans and newcomers alike.
Konami may not have done much with its acclaimed gothic horror series in recent years, but Powerhouse Animation Studios’ Castlevania series sure is excellent.
It follows Trevor Belmont, Alucard and Sypha Belnades as they face off against Dracula and his minions.
One of the most popular indie games in recent years was Cuphead, a gorgeous run-and-gun platformer from Canada’s own Studio MDHR, so an animated series based on that certainly made a lot of sense.
It also helps that the series, which follows the misadventures of brothers Cuphead and Mugman, faithfully captures the charm and style of the game.
While Cyberpunk 2077 had a rough launch, Studio Trigger (Kill la Kill) gave us an anime prequel that, like Arcane, works brilliantly on its own, telling a compelling story about a reckless young mercenary in Night City.
While many of the best gaming adaptations are animated, HBO’s Alberta-shot The Last of Us proved that teaming up one of the key creators (original writer and co-director Neil Druckmann) with an experienced screenwriter (Chernobyl‘s Craig Mazin) makes all the difference.
In doing so, it also showed that Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey)’s story of survival and connection in a post-apocalyptic world was universal, helping to demonstrate to non-gamers why The Last of Us is one of the most celebrated games of all time.
Paul W. S. Anderson might have a bad rap among gamers for his Resident Evil movies, but Mortal Kombat fans actually do like his eponymous 1995 adaptation of the iconic visceral fighting game series.
Taking cues from the original 1992 game, the film follows a group of heroes who take part in a tournament to protect Earth from malevolent forces.
Stream Mortal Kombat on Crave. It’s worth noting that the 2021 reboot — which does have its own defenders — is on Netflix.
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu
Live-action, photorealistic Pokémon initially sounded offputting, but Pokémon: Detective Pikachu ended up winning people over through its charm, led by the ever-likable Vancouverite, Ryan Reynolds.
A sequel is also in development, so hopefully, we’ll see more of Detective Pikachu, Trainer Tim and friends before long.
Unfortunately, Detective Pikachu isn’t on any subscription streaming service at the moment, so you’ll have to rent or buy the movie on platforms like iTunes and Google Play, starting at $4.99.
Silent Hill
This adaptation of Konami’s beloved horror franchise was initially panned upon release, but retrospective reviews have generally been much more positive.
The spooky Hamilton, Ontario-shot movie follows a woman as she looks for her adopted daughter in a mysterious town occupied by a cult.
What was once the internet’s punching bag due to a hideous Sonic design ended up being a surprisingly fun and even touching movie about a lonely hedgehog (Ben Schwartz) finding a human family and saving the world from the evil Dr. Robotnik (Canada’s own Jim Carrey).
The sequel meaningfully expanded on that with the addition of two fan-favourite characters, Knuckles (Idris Elba) and Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessy reprising her role from Sega’s games), paving the way for a third movie and Knuckles spin-off.
This isn’t actually a game adaptation, but it’s still worth mentioning since it’s based on the true story of Henk Rogers, a developer and entrepreneur who teamed up with Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov to bring his block-stacking game to the masses.
The movie stars Taron Egerton (Rocketman) as Rogers and has garnered buzz for its surprising thriller vibe.
What are your favourite game adaptations? Let us know in the comments.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering — SuperMario Bros. isn’t actually streaming anywhere, and you can’t even rent or buy it on iTunes or Google Play. Sorry, Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo.
In terms of video game icons, it doesn’t get any bigger than Mario.
Since 1981, Nintendo’s Italian plumber has won the hearts of millions with his charming adventures, eclectic roster of supporting characters and top-notch gameplay experiences spanning everything from platforming, racing and golf to soccer, fighters and even horror. “There’s probably not a single person who doesn’t know Mario. He’s that famous,” explains Colonel Roy Campbell rather aptly to Snake, another video game legend, in a delightful Metal Gear easter egg in Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Surely, then, that would mean he’s due for a good movie, right? One that’s worthy of the legacy of the best-selling video game franchise of all time? Sadly, that isn’t the case with Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the long-awaited animated take on the beloved gaming hero. After the atrocious 1993 live-action Super Mario Bros. film, Nintendo and Illumination have understandably gone for a far more faithful interpretation of the Mario series, but unfortunately, that reverence ends up being its fatal flaw.
Hey kids, remember Mario Kart? Image credit: Illumination
Indeed, The Super Mario Movie is, at the end of the day, just an animated recreation of the Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme from Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. From Mario’s specific jumps and twirls and Princess Peach’s Mario Kart hoverbiketo the “DK Rap” from Donkey Kong Country and green warp pipes galore, pretty much everything on screen at any given moment is meant to remind you of Nintendo’s rich games catalogue. Of course, it’s only natural to want some of that in a Mario movie, and it helps that Illumination renders it all through such crisp, detailed and visually stunning animation. That’s to say nothing of composer Brian Tyler, whose arrangements of Koji Kondo’s classic Mario themes are nothing short of incredible.
But fan service is a lot like sugar — nice and sweet in moderation, but deadly in high doses. And really, there’s very little to The Super Mario Bros. Movie beyond its near-overwhelming levels of winks and nods that feel meticulously chosen to pander to gamers’ nostalgia. The story, in which Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day) find themselves lost in a mysterious land threatened by the villainous Bowser (a genuinely excellent Jack Black), is as basic as it gets. That in itself isn’t a problem, as the plot is hardly the most important thing in a story so long as the characters are compelling.
But The Super Mario Bros. Movie feels like a grab bag of thin sketches of familiar faces from the games through which the filmmakers can wring the dullest and most obvious bits of humour. Let’s have a running gag about Mario hating mushrooms because in the games he eats a lot of them! Haha, get it? Luigi is often regarded as playing second fiddle to Mario, so let’s have him be captured and absent for most of the movie because we don’t know what else to do with him beyond a brief Luigi’s Mansion homage. Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy) used to be a damsel in distress, so let’s have her be an exceptionally skilled warrior now.
The Mario Bros. are separated for so long that their relationship feels thin and weightless. Image credit: Illumination
That latter point actually would be a positive, as it’s a solid, forward-thinking update on the tired “save the princess” trope, if not for the fact that the film also decides to render Mario a bumbling idiot who’s completely irrelevant for most of the runtime. And instead of mining any meaningful character growth from the actually intriguing idea of Mario’s fallibility, the filmmakers simply give Mario a training montage set to “Holding Out for a Hero” in one of the movie’s many unbelievably trite and uninspired needle drops, among other underwhelming character moments.
That also feeds into the movie’s largest issue — it’s pretty shallow. It should go without saying that even “kids’ animated movies” have some sort of overarching theme, a moral or arc that defines our character. Pixar’s Toy Story series digs into existentialism through the lens of sentient toys. Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service unpacks the stresses and burnout associated with growing up. Dreamworks’ Puss in Boots: The Last Wish leans into the fact that the Shrek franchise is old by weaving a gorgeously animated yarn about mortality. Even a lesser Disney movie, like the recent Strange World, at least goes for a story about a reconnecting father and son. The Super Mario Bros. Movie, however, is too content with breezing through video game iconography at a breakneck pace to even attempt to do anything more with it. The movie introduces the flimsiest shred of an arc — Mario and Luigi feeling like unsuccessful losers and discovering self-worth — but does absolutely nothing with it.
Now, I’ve noticed some go-to responses to these kinds of criticisms. “Well, the Mario games don’t really have a story,” you might say. “It’s just a kid’s movie!” some others have argued. But to me, such statements are a tad bit insulting to both Nintendo’s wondrous games and the limitless potential of animation as a medium. First, the fact that the Mario games are historically light on narrative and three-dimensional characters shouldn’t be an excuse for the film to do the same. Gaming is defined by interactivity; you don’t need to have a strong story in Mario because the appeal is the tight, well-crafted platforming. Cinema, on the other hand, is a completely passive medium that can’t rely on clever gameplay mechanics, so it needs to do something different. This is actually something The Last of Us series creators Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin wisely understood when they toned down the action — which was necessary for the original 15-hour third-person shooter game — to focus more on character and world-building.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020) actually had some sweet moments between characters, which is more than can be said for The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Image credit: Paramount
That’s the hallmark of a good adaptation — translating what works about the source material and making necessary changes elsewhere. And The Last of Us is hardly the only good example. The Sonic the Hedgehog games aren’t exactly known for deep stories and characters, but that didn’t stop director Jeff Fowler from delivering two fun movies centred around a surprisingly touching found family story — with some original characters, no less. In Arcane, Fortiche gives us an affecting standalone story of sisters Vi and Jinx that also expanded the popular universe of League of Legends. Rob Letterman’s Pokémon: Detective Pikachu injects the universal love and nostalgia we’ve all had for going on monster-catching adventures into a heartfelt original coming-of-age story for Trainer Tim. In all of these game adaptations, the source material was a way to enhance everything else; it wasn’t used as a crutch like it is in The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Fans could appreciate those added referential nuggets, but everyone could still enjoy the work as a whole. In many of these cases, we’re not even talking about some ground-breaking, world-class writing, which isn’t what anyone legitimately expected from Mario — just, you know, something decent.
Hell, let’s go beyond the world of game adaptations and look at another animated movie based on a popular property in which Chris Pratt voices a blue-collar protagonist with confidence issues in a big city: The Lego Movie. This could have easily been nothing but a toy commercial, but the ever-brilliant Phil Lord and Christopher Miller opted for a thoughtful, sincere tale about an everyman discovering what makes him special while still including some fun pop-culture cameos. The fact that the movies share some concepts and talent — most notably, The Super Mario Bros. Movie was also penned by The Lego Movie: The Second Part co-writer Matthew Fogel — only further highlights the comparative lack of imagination in Illumination’s film.
The LEGO Movie showed you could mix fan service with genuine creativity. Image credit: Warner Bros.
Likewise, the notion that The Super Mario Bros. Movie “is for kids” feels so disingenuous. Since when does something that’s suitable for kids have to solely be for them? Such an insinuation feels woefully dismissive of the countless quality animated pictures that have come along in the past few decades that have universal appeal. Pixar’s Inside Out tackles the volatile emotions of a pre-teen girl in a way that hits close to home for kids and adults alike. Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away unpacks greed and consumerism with nuance and care without being impenetrable for children. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse mixes a heavily stylized comic book aesthetic with a heartfelt story about everyone’s capacity for good that resonates with us all. I could go on.
Was I expecting The Super Mario Bros. Movie to be on the level of the animated classics I’ve mentioned? Certainly not. And despite what some have hilariously suggested, those critical of The Super Mario Bros. Movie aren’t some hateful cynics who expected some Scorsese-level Oscar-worthy movie. Undoubtedly, kids will certainly love this movie, which is great, and if you still enjoyed it for what it was, more power to you! But why is it such a crime for others to ask for more?
As mentioned, Mario is the rare property that transcends age and genre to connect with everyone, a timeless icon that will continue to be loved by generations to come. The magic of Nintendo’s games is that they simultaneously strike that “family-friendly” line while retaining depth and ingenuity. There’s a reason why the Mario games consistently rank among the highest-rated and best-selling the year they release, and that all comes down to Nintendo’s constant drive for creativity and inventiveness. They really are super. The Super Mario Bros. Movie, on the other hand, only aims to be safe and inoffensive, resulting in a painfully bland work that does a huge disservice to gaming’s most beloved series.
Header image credit: Illumination
In related news, MobileSyrup just kicked off a contest with Nintendo of Canada to send you and a friend to New York City for the launch of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. More information can be found here.
Nintendo and Illumination have revealed the third and final trailer for The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
The new footage came during a March 9th Nintendo Direct, the final presentation dedicated to the upcoming animated film.
In the trailer, we see Mario (Chris Pratt) and Donkey Kong (Vancouver’s own Seth Rogen) team up (in which DK even gets fire powers!), an extended sequence on classic Mario Kart track, Rainbow Road, and more. We also get new looks at Luigi (Charlie Day), Bowser (Jack Black) and Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy).
Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic (Teen Titans Go! To the Movies) serve as co-directors. Additionally, composer Brian Tyler (Avengers: Age of Ultron) is working with original Mario series composer Koji Kondo to integrate some of his iconic tracks into the original score.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie will hit North American theatres on April 5th, 2023.
It’s no surprise that the Nintendo Switch is a global darling. However, according to Nintendo of Canada, the Switch was the best-selling console in the country in 2022. This marks a five-year run for the Switch and its overwhelming success in the country.
During an extensive interview with Financial Post’s Chad Sapieha, Nintendo of Canada’s Susan Pennefather said that last year was “another blockbuster year for Nintendo” in Canada.
The past year marked the arrival of many premier titles for the company. The Nintendo Switch’s momentum was further propelled by the likes of Splatoon 3 (7.90 units sold), Kirby and the Forgotten Land (5.27 million), and Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. The latter of which became the fastest-selling Pokémon game, selling over 10 million copies within its first three days. The Pokémon series alone has seen lifetime sales of more than 440 million units worldwide, according to Pennefather.
As of January, it’s estimated that the Nintendo Switch has sold 118.69 million units across its five years on the market. This puts the Switch as the third best-selling platform alongside the PlayStation 2’s 155 million units and the Nintendo DS’ 154 million.
Pennefather attributes much of the Switch’s success in Canada to its strong IP catalogue. One of which is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, a re-release of a seven-year-old title. The base game alone has been a cult hit, reaching upwards of 48.41 million units sold. However, its Booster Course Pass DLC has helped secure the title’s spot in the top 10 games sold each month.
Further on in the interview, Pennefather cites a recent survey from the Entertainment Software Association of Canada. In it, it’s said that 53 percent of Canadians play video games on a regular basis. Half of this figure is comprised of females. Nintendo of Canada believes that the company “has very accessible, family-friendly games.” Due to this and the name recognition many Nintendo franchises have, Pennefather believes Nintendo has the right combination of hardware and software to be the best-selling system in the country.
Nintendo is already bracing for another big year ahead of it. As the Switch enters its sixth year on the market, the company has already launched Fire Emblem Engage to much critical acclaim. However, it’s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which is set for May, that has many Canadians waiting with bated breath. The release of this game alone is enough to believe that Nintendo can maintain its driving force.
On top of appealing software, Nintendo is also returning to the big screen with Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie. The film hits theatres on April 7th in Canada. It will surely attract eyes to Nintendo’s hardware and software featuring gaming’s favourite plumber.
— The Super Mario Bros. Movie (@supermariomovie) January 29, 2023
In a brief trailer posted out of nowhere on a Sunday, we see a bit more of a previously teased fight between Mario and Donkey. After the Italian plumber dons his cat suit, Donkey Kong starts laughing at him, and we hear Rogen’s iconic wheezing stoner laugh.
This is the first time we’ve heard Rogen as Donkey Kong, as previous trailers have only offered up Pratt’s Mario, Charlie Day’s Luigi, Jack Black’s Bowser and Anya Taylor-Joy’s Peach. In the end, Rogen’s Donkey Kong pretty much sounds exactly as you’d expect, but then, would we have it any other way?
The Super Mario Bros. Movie will hit theatres on April 7th.
